Method of securing joints in stovepipe casings



Nov. 4, 1924. 1,514,112

M. L. SWEENEY METHOD OF SECURING JOINTS IN STOVEPIPE CASINGS Filed Sept. 21, 1922 1 9:1. fig. 5'.

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MORGAN L. SWEENEY, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 UNION TANK dz PIPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

METHOD OF SECURING JOINTS IN STOVEPIPE CASINGS.

Application filed September 21, 1922. Serial No. 589,496.

T 0 all whom it'may concern.

Be it known that l, MORGAN L. SWEENEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Method of Securing Joints in Stovepipe Casings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the oil producing industry, and consists of an improved method of joining overlapping metal plates having a particular utility in the connection together of lengths of stove pipe casing as they are lowered into a well.

lln California it is customary when drilling an oil well to start the hole with a large diameter and to reduce the diameter of the hole as the depth increases. In many instances the hole is started with a fifteen inch diameter, which maybe continued for several hundred. feet before reduction to a smaller size. It is customary to line the starting hole with stove pipe casing for the purpose of supporting the walls of the hole against caving. This is necessary because of the soft and crumbling nature of the subsurface formations.

The stove pipe casing ordinarily employed is made up in lengths comprised of sections of sheet metal, rolled into pipe form having their overlapping edges riveted together. These lengths of casing are made up of two layers of metal with the respective joints thereof overlapping, so that where two consecutive in members abut, the outer member serves. a support for the joint and where a jdint occurs between two outer members an inner member serves as a support. Being thus made up of inner and outer len ths, the sections of casing are provided a projecting inner pipe at one end and a projecting outer pipe at the opposite end. In placing the casing in a well, the projecting ends of the inner layer in the lower end of one section are inserted in the projecting ends of the outer layer of the upper end of lower section and the overlapping plates forming these projecting ends are riveted or otherwise secured together.

M i ention provides means for se curely erpediently joining together the lengths of stove pipe casing as talled in a well, in making up casing lengths. In

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned view showing the co-operating ends of two lengths of stove pipe casing which are about to be joined together.

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned View illustrating a joint which has been secured by the employment of my method.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on a plane represented by the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section illustrating the proportionate size and the disposal of the holes which are formed in the overlapping plates forming the casing joint, preliminary to the fusing in of a metal securing key. V

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a lrey welded into the cooperating holes formed in the overlapping plates.

As shown in Fig. l of the drawing, stovev pipe casing of the type previously described is made up of inner sections ll and outer sections 12. The inner and outer sections 11. and 12 are so placed one upon the other in consecutive arrangement that the ends of the outer members 12 come together at a point let intermediate between the ends of the inner sections 11. ft, therefore, follows that the ends of the inner section come together at points intermediate'between the ends of the outer sections. At one end of a length of easing half the length of an inner section 11 projects out from the end outer sections 17 as indicated at 16, while upon the opposite end or the length of casing, as illustrated at 20, half of the outer section 21 projects beyond the end inner section 22.

@rdinarily in installing stove pipe casing the projection 16 is inserted in the projection 21- as indicated in Fig. 2 and the overlapping portions 16 and 21 riveted together secured by picking, thus joining the two lengths of easing together in the form of a continuous length. lhe riveting of these lengths of stove pipe casing together presented considerable dificulty owing to the fact that the rivets must be bucked up from the inside, and in order to accomplish the bucking up, it is necessary to work from the end of the casing, which is at a considerable distance from the point at which the riveting is being done. The employment of picking alope has not been found entirely satisfactory, as suflicient strength is not provided thereby to prevent pulling apart of joints under severe pulling strain.

In my process holes 25 are formed in the outer extendin portions 21 ofthe casing, and holes 26 o a slightly smaller diameter than the holes 25 are formed in'the inner projecting portions 16 in positions at which they will coincide with the outer holes 25 when the lengths of casing are put together as shown in Fig.2. Each pair of the cooperating holes 25 and 26 are welded up with a welding torch so that a key 30 is formed therein.

As shown in Fig. 4, the holes 26 in the inner plate 31, from which the inner projecting portion 16 is formed, is somewhat smaller than the hole 25 in the outer plate 32 forming the outer member 21. An annular area 34 of the outer surface of the plate 31 is exposed around the opening 26 by the larger holes 25. When the lengths of casing are placed together, the holes 25 and 26 coincide in the manner shown in Fig. 4. By employing a suitable welding torch a bod or key 30 of metal is fused into the ho es 25 and 26, the walls 36 of the hole 26, the annular surface 34: exposed by the opening 25 and the wall 37 of the hole 25 being fused with the metal forming the key 30, so that an autogenous binding together of the two plates is accomplished. The key 30 has the same function as a rivet but is much easier and quicker of installation, and has equal if not greater.

strength than a rivet; the strength of the joint provided by the key 30 being derived from the broad surface of fusion between" the key 30 and the plates 31 and 32, this surface of fusion being made up of the wall 36 of the opening 26 and the annular surface 3% of the plate 31, and the wall 37 of the hole 25 and the overlapping or fiaring tendency of the key as indicated at 39, this fiare being due to the tendency for sharp corners to fuse down under the tion of a welding flame.

In some cases it may be necessary to enploy a larger number of keys than punched holes 25 and 26 provided for. lln this instance co-operating holes are burned through the overlapping plates 16 21 with a cutting torch, these cooperating" holes then being welded up in the same manner as hereinbefore described. It is not necessary to the successful practice of this method that the holes be previously formed.

Although I have described and illustrated my invention in connection with the securing of joints for stove pipe casing, it will be appreciated that the method will also be of utility in all cases where it is desired to secure one or more overlapping plates together which are subjected to translational stresses.

I claim as my invention:-

' l. The method of securing joints in stovepipe casing, comprising; forming holes in one of the overlapping plates comprising said joints; forming cooperating holes of smaller diameter than said holes in said outer plates, in the other of said plates comprising said joints; and welding keys into said outer holes and said cooperating inner holes.

2. The method of securing joints in stovepipe casing, comprising; forming holes in one of the overlapping plates comprising said joints; forming cooperating holes of smaller diameter than said holes in said outer plates, in the other of said plates comprising said joints; and welding keys into said outer holes and said cooperating inner holes, said key being fused to the interior walls and the edges of said cooperating holes.

3. The method of seciyzing joints in stovepipe casing, comprisin forming holes in one of the overlapping p ates comprising said joints; forming cooperating holes of smaller diameter than said. holes in said outer plates, in the other of said plates commetal into each of said holes in said outer plates and its cooperating hole in said inner plates, said body being fused to the walls of said holes and filling said holes to form a key between said overlapping plates.

4. The method of securing together a pair of overlapping plates, comprising; forming holes in the outer of said plates; forming cooperating holes in the inner of said plates, said inner holes being of smaller diameter than said outer holes so that annular areas of the surface of said inner plate, around said inner holes, is exposed through said outer holes; and fusing a body metal into each of said outer holes and ceoperating inner hole, said body being fused to the walls of hoies and said exposed sur face at said inner plate, and overlapping the outer-edges of the walls of outer holes.

in testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at os Angeles, California, this 15 day of September, 1922;.

MORGAN L. SWEENEY.

prising said joints; and fusing a body of 3. 

